[Himeji City] Learn about azuki beans at the Azuki Museum run by Gozakou. Restaurant and factory experience too!

• Table of Contents
• A museum where you can learn about the history and culture of azuki beans
• Enjoy the museum even more with a factory tour, cooking experience, and red bean craft experience
• A factory shop where you can enjoy freshly made Gozakoro
• Great value one-day bus ticket
• basic information

A museum where you can learn about the history and culture of azuki beans

The Azuki Museum is about a 15-minute walk east along the elevated Shinkansen from JR Himeji Station. If you are taking a bus from Himeji Station, take the Shinki Bus from the JR Himeji Station south exit stop, and it is a short walk from Koaho Kita.

The museum grounds are surrounded by trees and are lush with greenery. There are waterfalls and ponds, and the entrance to the museum can be reached by walking along a stone bridge while listening to the cool murmuring of the water.

The grounds are a hidden healing spot surrounded by trees and a waterfall.

The first floor of the ``Azuki Museum'' is an exhibition floor where you can learn about azuki beans, including familiar azuki bean foods, cultivation methods, domestic and international varieties, and roots.

We usually eat adzuki beans casually, but there are many things we don't know about them, such as how long they have been eaten, what kind of flowers they bloom, and what varieties there are.

If you take your time to look at the exhibits, you will become interested in the profound world of azuki beans, and the time will fly by.

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”/Diorama

There are video corners here and there, designed to make learning easy for children to understand. The approximately 30-minute diorama video ``In pursuit of the roots of azuki beans'' provides a thorough introduction to the beginnings of azuki bean culture. Recommended for those who want to learn more about the history of azuki beans.

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”

Basically, photography is not allowed inside the museum, but you can take pictures of this ``10x Erimoshozu'' model. Erimoshozu is one of the varieties of adzuki beans and is said to be the ``king of adzuki beans.'' It's magnified 10 times, so it's easy to see what the leaves and pods look like!

Surrounding the model are large photographs of the growing process of azuki beans lined up on the wall. There are also videos of adzuki beans blooming and the sleeping movement of leaves, so be sure to check them out.

On the second floor, you can learn about seasonal azuki bean dishes, folk tales and proverbs that feature azuki beans, and the bean paste-making process. The large-screen high-definition theater will screen a story-like version of ``Azuki Monogatari'' (approximately 20 minutes).

The library corner also has books, picture books, and materials related to azuki beans.

A corner that explains azuki beans in a rakugo style

Photo spot with face-fitting panel

There is a restaurant on the mezzanine floor of the museum where you can enjoy red bean dishes. The spacious interior of the store is very bright with sunlight streaming in through the windows, giving it an open feel. There is a garden outside the window, and you can enjoy your meal while looking at the greenery of the trees.

The restaurant's popular menu is the "Azuki Gozen" (1,650 yen), which is available in limited quantities. The set includes simmered pumpkin and azuki, azuki kakiage, azuki sesame tofu, udon, pickles, sekihan (or multigrain rice), azuki soft serve ice cream, and azuki tea.

We recommend the azuki soft serve ice cream and azuki tea served after the meal. Once you try this soft serve ice cream, which has a strong sweetness and aroma of azuki beans, you will want to eat it again.

In addition, the azuki tea made by roasting and boiling red beans has the aroma of red beans, but it's not too bitter and is surprisingly easy to drink! This is a set meal where you can enjoy the azuki beans until the very end.

Photo provided by “Azuki Museum”/Red and white zenzai is also popular

After enjoying the exhibits and restaurants, the next step is to head to the museum shop. Check out original goods, red bean dyed products, and Azuki-san goods.

A popular item is the ``Eraser'' (200 yen) shaped like a ``Gozakou'' box. It has been faithfully reproduced down to the smallest detail, so much so that it's almost a waste to use it. Also recommended as a gift.

In addition, the ``strap'' (600 yen) with a miniature ``Gozakou'' is also popular for its cuteness. There are two types, red bean paste and white bean paste, so why not choose your favorite design?

In addition, there is also a lineup of Azuki Museum's original character "Azuki-san" goods. Don't forget to check out the museum's exclusive stationery that can only be purchased here, such as ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils, stickers, and stamps.

Enjoy the museum even more with a factory tour, cooking experience, and red bean craft experience

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”

You can tour the bean paste manufacturing process at the factory located on the premises of Gozakou Head Office. Participation requires advance reservations and takes approximately 30 minutes. It is free of charge and includes commentary from a tour guide. You might make new discoveries by learning about the process behind how the bean paste of Gozakou is made. Those who wish to participate can make reservations from the website, so please apply by the day before.

Factory tour

Closed: Closed on Tuesdays

*Temporary closing hours during the year-end and New Year holidays: 11:00-11:30 (approx. 30 minutes)

*Advance reservation required Number of people: 1 to 9 people (Visitors range from 1 to 15 people, including people from other groups)

Participation fee: Free

*During the tour, you will have to go up and down long stairs, so wheelchairs and strollers are not allowed.

Reservation site: https://gozasoro.rsvsys.jp/reservations/calendar?category=1

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”

For those who want to try their hand at making things, we recommend the paid craft and cooking experiences. The cooking experience where you can make sweets using red beans is also popular with families with children. Children of elementary school age and older can participate.

The journey takes approximately 60 minutes. The content changes every two months, with brown sugar manju experiences in November and December 2023, and Japanese warbler mochi experiences in January and February 2024. Reservations are required for this event at least 7 days in advance, so if you wish to do so, please do not forget to apply early.

basic information

Cooking experience

Closed: Tuesdays

*Temporary closing time during the year-end and New Year holidays: 10:00~ (Time required: approximately 60 minutes)

*Advance reservation required Number of people: 2 to 16 people (2 to 16 people including other groups)

Cost: 1,200 yen (tax included)

Target: Elementary school students and above (elementary school students must be accompanied by a guardian)

Things to bring: Apron and carrier bag (for take-home use)

Reservation site: https://gozasoro.rsvsys.jp/reservations/calendar?category=2

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”

In the craft experience, you will use various types of beans to create illustrations on photo frames and cork coasters.

basic information

craft experience

Closed: Tuesdays

*Temporary year-end and New Year holidays

Closing hours: Any time (no advance reservation required)

Cost: Craft 500 yen, Minecraft 300 yen (tax included)

Target: “Azuki Museum” visitors What to bring: Not required

A factory shop where you can enjoy freshly made Gozakoro

Photo provided by: “Azuki Museum”

There is a factory shop on the premises that sells demonstrations of ``Gozakou.''

Inside the store, in addition to freshly baked "Gozakuro" (110 yen each), there are also factory shop limited "Azuki soft serve" (regular 320 yen, mini 280 yen), "Nikuman" (160 yen), and "Ice bar". ” (140 yen to 160 yen) and “Azuki Bean Red Tea” (1,350 yen).

During demonstration sales, they start baking after receiving your order, so you can always have freshly baked Gozakouro. There are also table seats inside the store, so you can enjoy piping hot ``Gozaso'' right on the spot.

Freshly baked ``Gozaso''. It takes about 15 minutes to bake

The crispy texture on the surface is a delicious taste that only comes from freshly baked food! The sweetness of the red beans is a perfect balance with the dense filling, and your cheeks will melt. It is also recommended to compare the tastes of red bean paste and white bean paste. Of course, you can also take out the food, so please take it as a souvenir from your visit.

``Gozakou'' is a local sweet that is familiar in Himeji and other Kansai regions. We also recommend learning about Japanese food culture through the azuki beans that are essential to ``Gozakou.'' For those who want to learn a lot, it would be a good idea to participate in factory tours, cooking experiences, craft experiences, etc.

The Azuki Museum also has pamphlets in English and Chinese.

(Writer Nakata/West Plan)

*This article is information as of October 2023. Prices include tax. Product contents and prices may change. Please check the official website for the latest information.

Great value one-day bus ticket

Hyogo Amazing Pass *Limited to foreign visitors tourists visiting Japan

This ticket is recommended for those who are considering traveling around Kobe and Hyogo prefectures in addition to Himeji! This is a great value mobile ticket that allows you to ride Shinki Bus route buses + Kobe's City Loop/Port Loop as much as you want for 1,000 yen a day.

Click here for purchase and details of Hyogo Amazing Pass

Baggage storage service

Would you like to sightsee empty-handed?

basic information

Azuki Museum

Address: 611-1 Aboko, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture

Phone number: [Factory tour] 079-282-2311 (Head office) [Cooking experience] 079-282-2380 (Azuki Museum)

Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (Admission until 16:00)

Closed: Tuesdays

Admission fee: General (high school students and above) 1,200 yen, elementary and junior high school students 600 yen

Access: ・Approximately 15 minutes east along the elevated Shinkansen from the south exit of JR Himeji Station ・Take the Shinki Bus from the south exit stop of JR Himeji Station, get off at Koabo Kita and then walk a short distance

Parking: Yes

HP: https://www.gozasoro.co.jp/azukimuseum